Finally
by vicariousliving
Summary: Nick wakes up with a woman in his bed. Only it is in no way bad news. Nick replays the night in his head when he finally got things right. Rated M for later chapters 5 chapters total .
1. Chapter 1

Nick woke to a crick in his neck and the smell of vanilla to his left. He couldn't help but smile; like a stupid, romantic comedy, opposite of a Turtle Face smile. The sun was streaming through his window, hitting the wonderful woman sleeping his bed. Even cynical Nick thought that this could be the most perfect morning ever. At least the most perfect day he could remember in years. As he lay back down facing this woman, he couldn't help brushing away the stray hair that blocked her big, albeit, closed eyes. All he could do was stare. He didn't dare wake her, because if he did, it would only be a matter of time before they would both have to get up and start the day, thus, putting an end to this excellent morning. So instead, he stealthily (well, as stealthily as Nick Miller could manage) climbed out of his bed, put on the boxers left on the bedroom floor from last night, and force his most raggedy cotton T-shirt over his bed-headed head. Taking one last look at her, Nick slowly and quietly pulled his bedroom door open and slinked out into the hallway. After putting a pot of coffee on, Nick leaned against the kitchen counter and replayed last night in his mind.

The night he finally was with Jessica Day.


	2. Chapter 2

All Nick wanted to do was lie down and sleep for the rest of his life. He had gotten home from the bar around 3:30 am and now he was incredibly tired. He would have been home sooner, but he carelessly knocked over two bottles of Smirnoff in his rush to get home and had to clean up after his tired clumsiness.

_What a great start to what is sure to be a sucky-ass day. _Nick thought to himself, shoving the vodka soaked dishrag filled with shards of glass into the trash bin.

Once he had gotten home, he found he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning for about two hours before giving up and sitting himself in front of the T.V. Although he kept asking himself why he couldn't sleep, although, in the back of his mind, he thought he may know of a reason. Jess had had a date with a man she had met while she was at Nick's bar with the gang. His name was Trevor McNotti and he was a dumbass in Nick's highest opinion. McNotti was an accountant at a local bank and he and Jess had hit it off when Jess found out that he did the accounting for the parents of one of the kids she taught.

"_Oh, how perfect you must be, Trevs!" _Nick thought, imitating Jess's all too quick appreciation of others – no matter how stupid they actually are.

"_Oh, why yes I am, Jessica. I am the epitome of perfection with my knowledge of calculators and how to cheat the working class out of their money!" _Nick knew he may have been a little unfair, but why couldn't Jess see that this Trevor guy was an idiot? He admitted to ironing his jeans.

_Come on! _Thought Nick.

It was now rounding on 7:00 am and Nick was still sitting on the couch, now thoroughly exhausted and depressed. Jess had clearly spent the night at Trevor's and he had mindlessly waited up for her for nothing. He didn't even know why he had waited up for her, really. To hear about her awesome, terrific, we're-going-to-get-married-tomorrow date?

Finally defeated by tiredness and self-loathing, Nick headed to his room when he was startled by the opening of Jess's door.

"Hey, Nick!" Jess said smiling in her flannel, plaid pajamas. She was already half way down the hall to the bathroom before Nick could even respond. After peeking into Jess's room and finding it empty (_No Trevor, _thought Nick) he followed the raven-haired woman into the bathroom.

"Whur ur ye urp?" asked Jess, brushing her teeth. Nick could only smile at Jess as she continued to brush. However, not wanting to seem out of character of himself, Nick straightened his face and said in an almost annoyed tone of voice,

"I didn't understand a single thing you said, Jess."

After gargling and spitting (which Nick didn't even register as off putting anymore, considering they were roommates and it was, well, Jess) she turned back towards Nick and giggled.

"Sorry, Grumpy Grant. Dental hygiene waits for no one," she paused at his quizzical look, "I said, 'Why are you up?'" Nick didn't really know how to answer that question considering he still wasn't one hundred percent sure himself.

"Couldn't sleep," was all Nick could muster up in his sleep-altered state, "I think Cece and Schmidt were going at it last night, I thought I heard grunting or something." The lie came out of his mouth before he could even check its credibility.

Jess's own look mirrored his previous quizzical one, "Interesting, because the two love-birds are over at Cece's." She was now giving him one of those thoughtful stares, as if she was trying to figure out what his problem was without him having to tell her.

"Oh," Nick said, trying to sound unaffected, "Must have men in my head making noises and keeping me up!" Nick tried to laugh at himself, but his own Turtle Face betrayed the fact that he knew what he just said was pretty stupid.

_What did I just say? _He thought. _I just need to sleep. I hope she just lets me sleep. _

However, Nick could still see in the mirror Jess looking at him with what now looked like concern.

"Come on, sailor. Something blowing your ship southbound?" Jess said planting herself at his side. He could see that she was smiling at her own cleverness. Despite his outward scowl, a little bit of Nick warmed up inside.

"Really, I'm just super exhausted. I broke two bottles of vodka on my way out of the bar this morning and I had to clean it up and then I just couldn't sleep once I got home and when I tried to watch T.V. and get tired again, that damn Luna commercial came on repeatedly with the little girl I hate and I had – no, have – a headache, so I just need some rest, Jess." Nick blurted this out with a meaner tone than he anticipated. He half expected Jess to give him her "downtrodden" look that she often gave him when he said something a little insensitive. To his still exhausted surprise, she continued to look at him intently.

"Well, I'm sorry about that," Jess said with a look of empathy. "Well, I can whip you up some breakfast before I head out for the day. That interest you? I know Schmidt just got some red velvet pancake mix, but we could get crazy and make waffles with it instead." Despite being tired, Nick actually turned to her and was about to say yes when something she said struck a chord with him.

"You're headed out? Headed out where? It's 7:15 am…on a Saturday." Nick was hardly aware that he was almost hounding on her. He would have been perfectly fine staying up if he could spend the time with Jess, but where was she headed off to?

"I know, Calendar Boy," Jess said slightly defensive, "But Trevor's taking me out to breakfast today and - " Nick's splutter cut her next words off.

"Trevor? Likes-to-count-nickels-Trevor is taking you out for brunch today? How sweet!" Nick's last words were rich with sarcasm, and he could literally feel all the remaining energy drain out of him.

_So they didn't spend the night together, but clearly they had a great, frickin' time! _Nick thought starting towards the bathroom door.

"Yeah," Jess's angry voice came from behind him, "He is taking me out for brunch and I am going to Cece's to make sure I look as super sexy as I can legally be for a breakfast. Got a problem with that, Cranky Ass?" Nick spun around to see Jess's flushed cheeks.

_How the hell am I supposed to answer that? _Nick thought angrily.

"I don't know, Nicholas, what kind of answer could you have for why you're being so Hulk-like this morning?" Jess's words made Nick realize he hadn't only thought those words to himself, but said them out loud as well. Jess's foot was tapping in impatience for an answer. But Nick's brain was not working properly from exhaustion and now the uncontrollable jealously he felt towards Trevor. Jess's eyebrows were now demanding an answer from Nick as well.

"I – I just…he's not…you shouldn't…" Nick tried to form multiple sentences without admitting out loud anything he couldn't, for some reason, quite admit to himself yet.

Jess took two steps, making the distance between the two of them considerably smaller.

"Well, Nick?" Jess said with the faintest sign of tears in her eyes.

Not being able to bring himself to say anything kind, witty, or even in his own defense, Nick merely said, "Leave me alone, Jess. Have fun or whatever," and pushed passed Jess and headed towards his bedroom.

Once inside, Nick slid down his bedroom door and sat with his head on his knees.

_Yup, a sucky-ass day._


	3. Chapter 3

Nick had stayed in his room pretty much the entire day after his confrontation with Jess. He had waited for her to leave, then left his room only to grab his laptop off of the coffee table, snag some non-perishable food from the kitchen, and a whole six pack of beer from the fridge. Once he had retreated into his room, he left only once after that to use the bathroom.

_That's what a six pack will do to you after 6 hours, _Nick thought to himself.

His guilt over what had happened was overwhelming. He knew he shouldn't have yelled at her. He hated whenever he lost his temper with her and she got visibly upset. He had never felt that way about another woman. He hated seeing them upset, sure, but with Jess, it made him…downright depressed. But why? Why was this woman so different? Why did it bug him so much that she was with yet another guy? She's an independent woman who has the right to date whomever she chooses. Why then? Why did it bug him so much?

_It's because she's not dating you. _

The voice in his head spoke to him softly and yet it had enough power to have him actually set down the last bottle of beer he was hugging to his chest and sit up.

_It's because she's not dating you. _

The voice spoke once more, only with slightly more conviction.

_It's bugging you so much, you stupid oaf, because you know she should be with you. _

Nick quickly scuttled off the bed and looked at himself in the mirror. There he was, same as always, only something had changed. He could see it in himself.

"Do I like Jess?"Nick asked his reflection aloud, only this time there was something telling in his questioning.

Nick had always found Jess attractive. There was no denying that. But it was more than that. It was the way she always seemed to be in a good mood – therefore immediately balancing his own, consistent bad one. The way she liked to experiment in the kitchen with crazy recipes she'd find on the internet. Sometimes they were delicious, other times, disastrous. The way they were always at each other's throats, bickering about one thing or another. While she could make him crazy and sometimes make him want to tear out his own hair, there was always something beneath the surface, something that he only now understood to mean, "I'd rather bicker with you, than have a pleasant conversation with anyone else".

But most of all, it was the way she made him feel worthwhile – like there was more to him than a Turtle Face and a bartending position. She loved him in a way only Jess could. She was family. And Nick knew then and there that he didn't _like _Jess…

"I love her, don't I?" Nick's self-answering question hung in the air. Looking at himself in the mirror, he knew he had to make things right with Jess when she got home.

He was by no means ready to admit to her that he loved her. He had only just admitted it himself. But he couldn't stand the thought of her still being grumpy with him. He didn't think he could handle her not speaking to him. As cynical as Nick was, there was something in him that knew he wasn't strong enough to be able to handle a silent treatment from Jess. She was too important to him. He now understood that.

So he concocted a plan to make those red velvet waffles she was talking about earlier, as a sort of peace offering. However, just as he had resolved to do this and was just about to leave his room, he heard the front door open and close with a slam and angry footsteps headed towards his door.

_Oh, no, _Nick thought to himself.

He knew it was either Schmidt, finding out Nick had snuck some of his hair gel again, or Jess, coming to give Nick what for.

_Which, frankly, is exactly what you deserve, _Nick admitted to himself.

A shout from the other side of the door put his speculation to rest.

"Nick!" Came Jess's angry voice, "Nick, I know you're in there and I need you to come out of there this instant! I don't care if you don't want to talk about earlier today, but we have to! So open this door right now or I will break it down – and don't think I won't. Cece and I have been taking self-defense classes for years and if I can break a board I can break down this door…and your face!" Nick, although slightly apprehensive, had to laugh. Even when she was threatening someone, she had the tendency to ramble.

_Just another thing to add to the list of things I love about her. _

As Nick thought this, he opened his bedroom door to find a red-faced Jess staring back at him.

"Hi, Jess," Nick tried to sound as apologetic as possible, looking at her with what he hoped were puppy dog eyes. No such luck.

"Boy, do we have a lot to discuss, Mister," Jess was giving Nick a hard, intense look as she looked him square in the eyes.

_This is going to be a very long night. _


	4. Chapter 4

"Listen, Jess," Nick started what he hoped was a well formed apology. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to form anything else before being cut off by Jess's hand in his face.

"Don't even _think _about talking first," Jess dropped her hand and rested it and her other hand on her waist. Nick could tell she was trying to pull off a sassy pose. Cute, yes. Sassy…not quite. Nick's silence seemed permission enough for her to keep talking.

"I have been planning what I was going to say to you all day...so I'm going to say it," Jess, while still sounding angry, was also faltering slightly. It was almost as if she was loosing some of her nerve.

"Jess," Nick started.

"No, I'm going to say it," Jess' face was turning red as she stared him down. "I have noticed lately that you've been much…surly-er…and grumpy and not in a 'I'm-Nick-Miller-and-that's-just-the-way-I-am' way, but in a 'Something-bad-is-going-on-in-my-life-and-I'm-going-to-take-it-out-on-everyone-else' way. I've tried to keep my wits about me and deal with it, but lately, it's like no matter what happens, you jump down people's throats!" Jess was on a roll now, hardly noticing that Nick had slumped himself against the wall.

"Jess," Nick tried to speak again, softer this time; almost pleading.

"Hey! I'm still talking, Mr. Interrupter," She was now using her pointer finger to punctuate each sentence. "But the thing is that all your spazziness and Hulk-like tendencies are almost always directed towards me! And I don't know why! I have tried to place blame on your work, your love life, your…dirty laundry – I mean, come on! You never wash your towel - but all I can see that it boils down to is _me_. You have something wrong with me and I'd like to know what it is!"

She was breathing heavily, as if she had just run that 6K marathon all over again. As her breathing calmed, Nick became acutely that he had yet to say anything. What could he say? In a romance novel, now would be the time that he would admit his undying love for her, but seriously, how could he do it in the hallway in their loft? He had beer stains on his shirt while she looked, well, amazing. She had chosen to wear the same dress that she wore on Thanksgiving. The same night when, in the back of his head, he thought he might feel something more than typical roommate feelings for this crazy woman.

He hated that dress. She looked too good in it; especially for a breakfast date with some dumb accountant…or Paul Genslinger…or anyone else but him. So what exactly could he say to her right now?

"Jess, I really don't know what to say. I wish I had a straight answer to give to you right now, but I don't." He really didn't.

"Ah, Typical Turtle Face!" Jess whipped around and marched into the living room. Nick took this as an invitation to follow (slowly and carefully) behind her. She turned on him again once they had relocated.

"Typical Turtle Face?" Nick could feel his own anger starting to rise. As playground-esque as this insult was, Nick was allowing it to bother him. "Sorry, I have nothing _nice _to say about Trevor! Sorry I had nothing to say about this boring-ass, jeans-ironer who clearly has no business being with you! I can't believe that you actually went on a breakfast date with this guy!"

"But I didn't," huffed Jess angrily. "I didn't go out with Trevor today – I canceled!"  
She had caught him so off guard with this statement that he actually lowered his arms. The next time he spoke, he spoke softly,

"You…didn't go out with him?" Nick couldn't help but stand up straighter. Something inside him felt a bit lighter, happier even.

"No I didn't! And do you wanna know why?" Nick's blank stare was enough to have her continue. "Because of you, Nick! Because of you!"

"…Because of…me?..." Nick was quiet, but his excitement could hardly be contained. He chanced a step closer to Jess and when he did, he noticed she was forming tears in her eyes. If he was a more sensitive guy he would have reached out to wipe away her tears, but he was Turtle Face and that particular action remained in his head.

"Yes, because of you." Again, she was looking him right in the eyes as she spoke. "I knew last night that something wasn't fitting with Trevor. And not just Trevor, with pretty much every guy I've dated over the past few months. Paul, Russell, that random hot dog vendor I went out with because he said I reminded him of Katy Perry and I was drunk so I agreed to a date…none of these guys have clicked, Nick."

Nick felt like he couldn't move, when all he wanted was to brush some rogue hairs from her teary face. All he did, however, was stand there, looking at her as she continued.

"I canceled the date with Trevor and went to Cece's. I asked her why none of these men have been working out for me and she helped me realize that I've been messing things up because I know I'm not supposed to be with any of them…I'm supposed to be with you…" Jess searched his face, looking for some sort of reaction, but all Nick could do was stand there searching her face in return. Before Nick could anything, Jess began to speak again; this time softly and with a tone of vulnerability.

"Nick, I love you. I do and I don't think I can stand lying about it anymore. I have tried to maintain our normal routine, but it kills me inside and every night I keep thinking about going across the hall to your bedroom and telling you but then I remember how unbelievably awkward I am and how I'd totally mess things up – "

Nick couldn't stand it anymore. He closed what was left of the distance between them and met his lips with hers. They explored each other's mouths for what seemed like an hour before Jess broke away.

"Nick," she began before Nick rested his forehead on hers.

"Jess, I love you too. I think I always have…I just never realized…I need you, Jess."

And with that, the time for talking was over.


	5. Chapter 5

The time for talking was over, indeed.

For a few moments, Nick couldn't even think straight. Jess tasted so good. So right. Their tongues danced around each other, a moan escaping either of them at any given time. Nick slowly began making his way down Jess's neck, pausing slightly to enjoy the spot just below her jaw line. When he chanced a little nip, he heard Jess gasp out his name. It was only then that Nick became fully aware of his erection.

Nick carefully guided Jess back into his room. It was difficult; considering they were both getting rid of clothes, continuing to kiss, and attempting to walk at the same time. When they finally got into his room, they collapsed onto his bed, knocking the wind out of both of them for a second. Jess began to laugh,

"Is this how you treat all your bedroom guests, Nicholas?"

Her eyes sparkled as she looked into his. He found this so remarkable he almost forgot to answer back. He scrambled for a witty response back, but only came up with,

"Only the ones I've completely fallen in love with, Jess." He inwardly cringed at his cheesiness, but she apparently did not mind. She responded by reaching up to meet her lips with his, and suddenly he didn't mind so much anymore either.

All that remained on Nick were his worn, striped boxer shorts - not his sexiest apparel. However, he was slightly more concerned with Jess's clothes – the fact that she still had them on.

Out in the hallway she had managed to kick off her shoes and untie her dress; however Nick knew he needed to see more. Sure he had seen Jess naked before. But not like this. This was different. This meant something.

Still kissing, Nick reached down to the bottom of Jess's dress and began, slowly, lifting it up over her body. Nick could actually feel Jess's goose bumps as his hands and fabric made their way over her thighs…her waist…her chest…and finally her head, revealing to Nick only her bra and panties. Nick stopped kissing Jess in order to take in the sight of her. She had worn a bra that so closely matched the color of her dress; one would think they came as a set. Nick delighted in the contrast between her creamy skin and the bright, redness of the bra. The panties, on the other hand, were so…Jess. They were pale blue with little, yellow rubber ducks on them. On anyone else, they may seem out of place. But not on Jess.

_How she manages to look sexy even in these – I'll never know. _Thought Nick.

Jess was looking at him look at her. When she saw his eyes fall on her panties, she gasped.

"I forgot I was wearing these," She said, her hands now covering her face. "I've been picturing this moment in my head a hundred times and I was definitely wearing something sexier than this."

Nick merely responded by crushing his lips on hers again, clearly catching her off guard. She gave a quick squeal and then melted back into his kiss.

The next few moments happened in a flurry.

Jess unclasped her own bra, revealing to Nick the most beautiful breasts he had ever seen (again) and he responded by taking off his own underwear, finally revealing to Jess the erection he had been controlling for the passed ten minutes.

_I sincerely hope she doesn't laugh at it again…_Nick thought, panic racing through his head for a quick moment. However, that moment passed quickly when he saw her eyeing his penis with what he thought was desire. Her eyes flicked back to his. She smiled and her eyes were sparkling yet again.

She reached down and very lightly grasped his shaft, stroking ever so softly the very tip. Nick almost fell apart right there. Her hands were so smooth against his penis that he had to shut his eyes real tight to try and control himself. He really didn't think he'd be loosing control this fast. To make matters worse, Jess had chose then to say the exact that could make him go overboard,

"Nick, it's so big…" There was no trace of humor in her voice – just amazement. Nick knew he had to move things along or he wouldn't last very long.

He took her hand away from him, placing it over her head.

_Got she looks amazing sprawled out like that._

Nick, forcing himself to look away from her face, refocused onto the only article of clothing left between them. He slowly slid them down her legs and off her feet and he was presented with a pile of nicely trimmed curls. Now it was just them and the only thing Nick could do was kiss her.

This time, considering they were both naked and incredibly horny at this point, their kisses became more and more urgent. Nick made a trail of kisses down her neck and onto her chest. Nick took one of Jess's nipples into his mouth. Jess arched her back up to meet his as she moaned out his name. Interpreting this as encouragement, Nick began making his way to her other breast to perform the action again. He planted kisses on and around her breasts, exciting both him and her.

Nick reached down in between her legs to find Jess already incredibly wet. Nick chanced a finger into her and saw her eyes fly open as she gasped. He next supplied a second finger and began pumping. Even around his fingers, she was so tight. He couldn't wait to be inside her. But he also didn't want things to be over too quickly.

Nick, still pumping her with his fingers, continued to kiss down her body until he reached his own fingers. He took in the sight of her down there. Leaning forward, he began kissing circles around her inner thigh. The sounds she began emitting were so erotic. His kisses made their way in between her legs, landing on her clitoris where he began sucking slightly, causing her to buck her hips toward him. Nick, as uncoordinated as he knew himself to be, was employing both his hands and lips to pleasing Jess. He was taking cues from Jess's interjections and appeared to be doing just fine.

Nick felt Jess shutter a bit and heard his own name as she came. He could almost sense her body humming as he made his way back up to her face.

"Wow," was all Jess needed to say before he captured her lips again.

Nick really didn't know how long he could last now. He shifted his hips so that his erection was pressed against her thigh.

"Oh, I'm not forgetting about 'bonjour lepine'," said Jess, using her euphemism for penis.

She reached out and began stroking it, making a slow but rhythmic pattern up and down his shaft. Nick rested his head in the crook of her neck as he allowed the sensation of her hand on him to wash over him. Jess started to get up from her position on the bed, nudging and forcing him onto his back. Jess took Nick's lead and began trailing kiss down his body, while still touching him.

Nick knew it was coming, but it didn't make it any less exciting when he felt her mouth close over the tip of his penis.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding…" Nick slammed his head down on the bed, grasping some sheets around him for some sort of support.

"You know me Nick," Jess said, stopping for a moment her action, "I'm always very serious."

Nick had to chuckle, even as waves were coursing though his body. He knew he was close, so instead of allowing himself to fall apart there, he reached down and touched her cheek.

"Jess, I – "

"Need me to be quiet?" She looked at him apologetically.

"No, that's actually exactly the opposite of what I want…for once." And with that Nick pulled Jess up and flipped her on her back. They kissed passionately for a few more seconds before Nick tore himself away from her lips and reached into his drawer for his condoms. He parted from her body only long enough to pull the condom on himself. When he finished, he looked into Jess's eyes. She was staring at him intensely as she spoke,

"Nick…I need you…now." She was looking up at him with such desire, he knew he couldn't refuse.

With one swift motion, he entered her. They both gasped as their bodies came together for the first time. Nick was still for a few seconds as he felt her tighten herself around him. With a groan he began moving in and out of her, all the while resting his head again in the crook of her neck.

He was in ecstasy. She was literally the most amazing woman he had ever been with. Her skin felt so smooth; and even as he began moving faster, he was still in search for more parts of her to run his hands over.

When one of his hands found her breasts, her back arched towards him again and Nick replaced his hands with his mouth again.

"Oh, shit, Nick!" Jess shouted.

Nick had never really heard Jess swear that intensely before and knowing that it was because of him made him pump even harder. Jess's breathing became faster and faster, and Nick couldn't think of anything but how good she felt, and trying to stay in control of himself.

Jess started to say Nick's name in short breaths and he knew she was close. When he felt her shutter again and shout his name, he knew he could lose control now. He began to pump faster and faster and began feeling that tingling sensation spreading through his body. With one last thrust he came inside her, saying her name, almost in a response to her.

Nick gave her one last kiss before laying himself beside Jess. They were both breathing heavily, staring at the ceiling. Nick was in what seemed like a permanent state of happiness. He could feel the smile on his face – a nice change from his Turtle one – and didn't even care. He had just made love to the woman he loved.

Jess flipped on her side and snuggled into him, laying her head on his chest.

"Nick, that was…amazing. Was…it good for you too?" She looked up at him, searching his face for his reaction.

"Jess, I love you so much. It was amazing for me as well…I'm so glad you chose me, Jess." Nick almost stopped himself from saying that last part, but as of right now, he was feeling braver than usual. Maybe it was because she was by his side. He wasn't sure and he didn't care.

"Nick, I didn't choose you," Jess sat up as she addressed him. "I fell in love with you…and your grumpiness, and your Turtle Face…and the way you make me cookoo for Cocoa Puffs…and secure all at the same time. I'm just so giddy you felt the same way."

"Giddy?" laughed Nick.

_I still don't think I'll get over her quirkiness, but that's okay…_

"Yes, Mr. Sexy Time, 'giddy'." Again, her eyes had that sparkle in them that Nick couldn't resist and he kissed her again, slow and passionate.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, as cheesy as it was, after a few more hours of love making. They had fallen asleep with Jess's head on his chest and his arms around her. He really didn't know how he got so lucky. As he fell asleep, he had to laugh at himself.

_This day didn't turn out so bad after all. _

Nick really didn't know how long he had been standing in the kitchen alone. The coffee he had poured for himself was now a bit tepid, so he speculated he'd been there a while. All he could do was replay last night (_Well, really most of this morning. _He thought) in his head and smile. To be honest, his face was sort of hurting. He didn't know he _could _smile this much. But he knew for certain that he could get used to it.

He decided to give Jess breakfast in bed. Sure, he wasn't the Breakfast Champion in the loft, but he thought he could muster up some level of skill.

_Anything for Jess_.

He had almost finished with the last of the Jess-inspired red velvet waffles when he caught a whiff of vanilla; and when he felt those soft, silky arms around his waist he wasn't caught off guard.

"I had hoped to surprise you with breakfast in bed, but I guess that's out." Nick popped the last waffle out of the waffle maker and put it on a plate. He had set out pretty much everything in the fridge on the counter for her to put on her waffles – syrup, jelly, butter, the works.

She had clearly found another one of his shirts and slipped on a pair of his (thankfully) clean boxers from his drawer. With her hair tied up in a haphazard bun and her wearing his clothes, he thought she never looked sexier.

"Oh, Nicholas," she responded, planting a soft kiss on his cheek, taking the plate from him, and moving to grab herself from syrup, "You know you could surprise me with other things in bed!"

She giggled at herself as she flipped the syrup bottled upside down and allowed it pour all over her waffles. Nick had to laugh too. He planned to take her up on that offer.

They ate breakfast together. Laughed. Kissed. Stole bites from each other's plates. It literally was the perfect morning. Nick had forgotten they weren't the only people living in the loft until the terrible threesome of Cece, Schmidt, and Winston came in. They were evidently arguing about something Winston had supposedly done to Schmidt's car when they were all stopped short by the sight of Nick and Jess cuddling on the couch watching TV.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" asked Winston with a big smile on his face.

Cece's smile could have split her face in two. As Nick and Jess scrambled to get up from the couch, Cece ran over to squeezes Jess's arm. Nick could faintly hear her whisper,

"Good going, Jess."

"Who let the slut out of the slut house?" jeered Schmidt at the pajama-ed pair. "What could be the meaning of this?"

Nick and Jess stood next to each other awkwardly for a few moments before Nick's hand enclosed around Jess's. The pair told their extremely receptive audience about everything that happened. Well, not _everything, _of course, but the important things. Such as how it was going to be Nick and Jess from now on.

The rest of the gang helped themselves to the leftovers of the red velvet pancakes and continued inquiring at the happy couple.

It was when Cece came up with the idea that they all go out to celebrate, that Nick and Jess had to part for the first time in about a day. Cece had made it clear she was taking Jess shopping for the perfect dress. Once Jess got dressed and was about to leave, Nick pulled her aside and gave her a parting kiss.

"Don't be gone too long," Nick said, resting his head on hers.

"Who? Me?" asked Jess jokingly. "Don't let the guys give you too much of a hard time."

As she bounced her way out the door with Cece, Nick just stood there watching her go. He almost didn't noticed Schmidt sliding up next to him.

"You know, all I can say, Nick My-Man…is finally!"

As Schmidt walked to his room to get ready, Nick couldn't help but agree with him.

_Yep. Finally. _

**I want to thank everyone who had patience with this story. I know I wasn't the quickest at posting new chapters, but things here at college are crazy. But I've been putting them out as fast as I can, and I really hope you think this ending does the story justice. Thank you all for hanging in there! **


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